Al Basrah Oil Terminal, offshore Iraq US Army Specialist Darryl L. Montgomery - US Department of Defense
Tankers

Iraq pushes for higher prices on oil loaded outside Strait of Hormuz

Reuters

Iraq has set floor prices for its Basrah Medium oil offered via a tender for loading in September from outside the Strait of Hormuz, a tender document reviewed by Reuters showed on Tuesday.

Iraq's national oil company SOMO is asking participants in its tender, issued last month, for a premium over the destination market benchmark, the document shows, and a trade source confirmed.

For September 1 to 10 lifting SOMO is asking for a minimum premium of 20 cents per barrel over the destination market benchmark, and for September 11 to 30 loading cargoes a floor of $3 per barrel premium has been set, the document shows.

Participants have to place revised offers within a day, the trade source said.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported last month that Tehran has granted permission for a number of Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following repeated requests from Baghdad through various channels.

(Reporting by Nidhi Verma, Editing by Louise Heavens)